Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Bolt Fluting a WBY Mark V Bolt ?

I have a stainless WBY Mark V in 270 WBY Mag. I sent it in to the Wby Custom Shop and had it re-barreled with the fluted stainless barrel they put on their ULW Mark V and the B&C LIGHT WEIGHT stock. I had asked them to hollow out the bolt knob and
deepen the flutes on the bolt and scallop the bolt sleeve.
Like they do on the ULW Mark V actions. The guy at WBY said that they could not because of my bolt being "Stainless". That the bolt had a special "Temper" and fluting was introduce heat that would mess this up and render the rifle "UNSAFE".
I had asked him about the custom shop option they offer to
Laser Engrave my name on the bolt body ,He had said this was possible. Don`t you have heat with a laser? If I can find someone to spiral flute my bolt would
it mess up the "Temper"?
I do not want to risk making my rifle unsafe to shoot if the guy at weatherby is right.
AMRA

I asked Karl at Kampfeld Custom if he could do the same to my 2 Mark 5 S/S bolts and he said no,I would never question his knowledge as a GUNSMITH.

Read this and make a few calls before you give up: https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...&topic=0&Search=true#Post2324416

I'm not trying to be a smart a--,but a Savage 110 is far from being a Weatherby Mark 5 action.

AMRA wanted info on bolt fluting. I gave names of two gunsmiths that provide that service. What does that have to do with a Weathby MK 5 action?

He stated he had a Weatherby Mark 5 bolt that he wanted fluted.

Laser engraving is going to have a way smaller heat affected zone than machining.

Thanks to all who responded to my question. I e-mailed both gunsmiths mentioned here. Karl wrote me back last night and said that my Mark 5 bolt as all Mark 5 bolts were already lightly fluted and that he would pass on widening and deepening them.
Not that it could not be done but that to him it would be cost prohibitive to try it. He told me that he could hollow out the bolt knob and skeletonize the bolt handle for me.
I mailed it out to him today, I look forward to seeing what he can do to it after all I have read about him on 24 HR Campfire.
Thanks again
AMRA

Would you let us know what the other 'smiths have to say? Thanks

If a guy at Weatherby and Karl told me NO they wouldnt do it, I wouldnt care what any other gunsmith said, that would be the end of the story.

He did trick out both of my bolt handles and installed his Hunter bolt knob and cerakoted the rifles,I really like his work and he's 1 fine man to talk to.Your not going to find a better person or gunsmith to do business with.

" I e-mailed both gunsmiths mentioned here. Karl wrote me back last night and said that my Mark 5 bolt as all Mark 5 bolts were already lightly fluted and that he would pass on widening and deepening them.
Not that it could not be done but that to him it would be cost prohibitive to try it. "

"If a guy at Weatherby and Karl told me NO they wouldnt do it, I wouldnt care what any other gunsmith said, that would be the end of the story"

It appears that Karl did not say no, he passed because of cost considerations. Possibly the other 'smiths price the work differently. What is the harm in asking?

I guess you missed this part..................

No, I didn't. But you said " If a guy at Weatherby and Karl told me NO they wouldnt do it, I wouldnt care what any other gunsmith said, that would be the end of the story. "

You referenced Weatherby, Karl, and any other gunsmith. All I'm saying is see what other 'smiths have to say.

Absolutely, I did say that and I mean it too.

" The guy at WBY said that they could not because of my bolt being "Stainless". That the bolt had a special "Temper" and fluting was introduce heat that would mess this up and render the rifle "UNSAFE". AMR

"Karl wrote me back last night and said that my Mark 5 bolt as all Mark 5 bolts were already lightly fluted and that he would pass on widening and deepening them.
Not that it could not be done but that to him it would be cost prohibitive to try it. " AMR


"If a guy at Weatherby and Karl told me NO they wouldnt do it, I wouldnt care what any other gunsmith said, that would be the end of the story. " Tom264

"Absolutely, I did say that and I mean it too." Tom264

It appears that Weatherby states that it is unsafe for anyone to work on the bolt. Do you agree with Weatherby?

It appears that Karl states he can flute the bolt, but prefers not to do so? Do you agree with Karl?

So Weatherby says no, Karl says yes, and you agree with which one?

"If a guy at Weatherby and Karl told me NO they wouldnt do it..."Tom264


I THINK we agree what you said, I am certain that you know what you meant, I am not certain what you meant. All I wanted to do was to hear the opinion of the other two smiths to see if the proposed work is feasable. Who you choose to listen to, is your choice.

I have not been contacted by Twisted Barrel yet maybe they will soon. I did contact a place called HTC and Pac-Nor both of them turned me down flat. No reason given other than NO !!!
Jared at the Weatherby Custom Shop told me that Because my bolt is stainless they could not for safety reasons. That Weatherby factory ammo is stoked to the gills and high pressure.
In this age of Lawyers and I am going to Sue anybody who looks at me wrong , He may be just covering his butt.
Getting Karl to do only the bolt handle will not stress the bolt itself and I am safe. At it end of the day I could always trade it off on a Factory Stock Mark V ultra lightweight and get my fluted bolt , hollow bolt knob, & scalloped bolt sleeve
But in blued, non-stainless action with a stainless barrel.
I wanted a all stainless gun so I will have to deal with the limits of what can be done and what cannot be done.
I can live with that.
Thanks Amra

Allright wiseguy.....Karl said it could be done but it would be cost prohibitive.......did you ever consider the fact that MAYBE just MAYBE Karl knows that it would be unsafe and also knows what means it would take to make the bolt safe......like maybe retempering it?
I'm sure that would be costly.

You may be right Tom.
like2shoot, Karl did not comment to me one way or the other on the temper statement by Weatherby. Bottom line he said he would not re-flute the bolt period. I had forgot that I also contacted a guy Lex Weberneck? at Rifles Inc. who specialize in milling and drilling Remington 700`s and Winchester 70`S for super light weight rifles.I asked him could they do what they do to my stainless Weatherby. I got a flat no from him also.
I am just a old redneck from Alabama not a Metalurgist or any great intellect.But I got enuff sense to get out of the rain when it`s popping lighting. The same goes here , I had 4 to 5 specialists tell me NO! It ain`t worth risking getting hurt just to lighten the rifle a few ounces.

sounds to me like all it takes to solve this situation is ---some good common sense. if this one gentleman wants to lighten his weatherby bolt and blow his head off, so be it, ain't no skin off my arse.